Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board will be provided with another update on the Covid-19 pandemic at their board meeting later this week (pdf).
While anyone with half a brain could’ve seen this coming, the start of the new school term has coincided with a new spike in Covid-19 cases.
The age group with the largest proportion of positive tests (between 6th – 20th September 2021) are those aged 10-19 (24.2% of all new positive tests). Once you add younger children, this rises to 37.1% of all new cases.
Board members will also be updated on the vaccination programme (pdf).
A booster campaign – a third dose – for older adults deemed to be at risk is starting this month and the first appointments will begin this week (27th September 2021).
Additionally, while 16 and 17-year-olds have started to receive vaccinations, this was extended to include 12-15-year-olds who are deemed to be at clinical risk – including diabetics, asthmatics, children with learning disabilities (like Down Syndrome) or immunosuppression or living with someone who’s immunosuppressed. The report says vaccination of these groups is set to be completed by 2nd/3rd October.
Healthy 12-15-year-olds are set to be vaccinated (one dose only for the moment) at weekend sessions starting 2nd/3rd October. The health board hopes that this will be completed before the autumn half-term holiday (w/c 25th October 2021).
Vaccination rates remain high for the over-50s, but around a quarter of the under-40s are yet to receive both doses. There’s a continued problem with people not turning up for appointments.
However, a “walk-in”/no appointment needed campaign over the summer was successful amongst the under-40s, but pilot pop-up clinics in the Gellideg and Gurnos areas of Merthyr Tydfil resulted in a “disappointingly low” uptake.
The temporary leasing of the current vaccination centres (including Ravenscourt in Bridgend) is set to be extended until June 2022, though a decision is set to be made on whether to reopen a centre in Maesteg (which is currently not being used).
